Injection site rotation: a simple guide

Rotating injection sites is one of those instructions everyone reads and few people track. Here is a simple way to do it.

The three areas

The instructions for Wegovy, Ozempic, Zepbound and Mounjaro list:

Stomach area: at least 2 inches away from the belly button
Thighs: the front of the thigh
Upper arms: the back of the upper arm (some instructions say another person should do this one)

Why rotate

The instructions ask you to change your injection site each time. Moving around also means no single spot takes every shot, and a chart saves you from trying to remember where last week’s went.

A simple rotation

Left stomach
Right stomach
Left thigh
Right thigh
Left arm
Right arm

Then start again. With a weekly shot, each area gets a break of several weeks. Within an area, move the exact spot a little each time too. Skip any area you cannot or prefer not to use.

Keep track without thinking

Paper: the free injection site rotation chart prints with your dates and sites filled in.
App: Embera remembers your last site and suggests the next one on a body map when you log a dose, free.

Things to avoid

Follow the instructions for your pen. They usually say to avoid skin that is tender, bruised, red, hard, or scarred. Ask your pharmacist if a spot bothers you.

Sources

Instructions for use and prescribing information for Wegovy, Ozempic, Zepbound and Mounjaro.

Questions

Does it matter where I inject my GLP-1?

The prescribing information lists the stomach area, thighs and upper arms as options. Follow the instructions for your pen, and change the spot each time.

Can I inject in the same area every week?

You can use the same area, but the instructions ask you to change the exact site each time. Rotating between areas makes that easy to keep track of.

Should someone else do the arm?

Some pen instructions say the back of the upper arm should be injected by another person. Check the instructions for your pen.

Embera is a personal tracking app, not a medical service, and the people writing these guides are not clinicians. This article is general information, not medical advice. Always follow your prescriber's or pharmacist's instructions.